Eastern Pro Wrestling
Eastern Pro Wrestling, or EPW for short (also known as as Explosive Pro Wrestling, Extreme Pro Wrestling or Erie Pro Wrestling) was an independent fiction wrestling company. Started in 1992 in the town of Erie, Pennsylvania, where it was stationed, EPW quickly grew to become one of the East Coast's main territories. EPW folded in 2013, being brought out by the NWA and being rebranded as new territory NWA-NCW. Beginnings (1995 - 1997) In 1992, Nathan Drake, popular indy wrestler, was forced into an early retirement due to several neck injuries, that put him at a serious risk whenever he wrestled. Drake, instead of fully retiring from the scenes and moving away from the wrestling world, decided to open the Drill Drake Wrestling Dojo. Eventually, he began holding small events for his trainees to wrestle in front of a crowd. After some success, Drake closed the Drill Drake Wrestling Dojo and moved to Erie, Pennsilvanya, to start his own wrestling promotion, Erie Pro Wrestling. The first show, named First Encounter, was held in June of 1996. While the financial results were poor, with only 137 in attendance, it was met with warm receptions, with local newspapers describing it as "new faces, with a new style. A sign of what is come in this new era." A second show, named Fatal Fall, was held months later, on the 14th of November 1996. The event saw Mitchell Chamberlin crowned as the first EPW Champion. From 1997 onwards, the company changed its' name to Eastern Pro Wrestling, as it begun holding shows outside of Erie, with the first being named New York Nitro and being held in Albany, New York. The sudden expansion, as well as the popular phenomenon, at the time, of tapes trading only helped to further build EPW's reputation and popularity. Later that year, Ash Ketchum made his EPW debut, as part of a deal with WWE. The arrival of top talent from major promotions gave EPW one more popularity boost, and in 1998, EPW and an East Coast TV network signed a deal, where the network would've aired a one-hour EPW show every week. rebranded as Eastern Pro Wrestling after it's first event in Albany, New York called New York Nitro. At this time as well tape trading had start getting Nathan Drake's company talk as far to some of the largest promotions including UWE and WWE. This resulted into top talent including Ash Ketchum making appearances at shows frequently as well as other talent. This expanded EPW's auidence and in 1998 stuck a deal with a local TV network to produce a 1-hour show every other week. National Spotlight (1999 - 2005) During 1999, after the peak of the then-ongoing Monday Night Wars, Drake made a surprising decision: instead of taping their shows and have them broadcast at a later moment, EPW would've broadcast their shows live. This was a rather surprising decision, as few companies broadcast their shows live. Amongst those were FWE, which, nonetheless, would later broadcast their shows on delay for their audience in other time zones, and WCW. The decision had its' merits, however, as it further made EPW a stand-out name amongst independent companies. 1999 also saw EPW hold its' first pay-per-view, WrestleWars. The highlight of the show was Ash Ketchum defeating Ryan Drake to become EPW Champion. In 2000, EPW was renamed once again, becoming Extreme Pro Wrestling: Drake wanted to take advantage of the popularity of ultra-violent wrestling, which had been popularized in the past by companies such as ECW, XPW and CZW. This change was not long-lasting, however: on November 4th of that same eyar, during a match between Mitchell Chamberlin and Ryan Drake for the EPW Ultra Violent Championship, independent referee Harold Parkman accidentally showed through two stacked tables covered in barb wire and thumb tacks. The objects were originally meant to be used in a spot featuring Chamberlin. Parkman filled a lawsuit against EPW following the event: Nathan Drake was charged with several accusations, including recklessness, and was found guilty on most accounts and forced to pay an undisclosed amount to Parkman as compensation, as well as an hefty fine. EPW went back to being Eastern Pro Wrestling, while the EPW Ultra Violent Championship was retired following the incident. These events pushed Drake to take a hiatus from professional wrestling as a whole, leaving EPW to various bookers and employees. This sudden change in leadership did not come without problems, as in August of 2001, EPW held its' last show before entering a hiatus as well. The company resurfaced in May of the next year with a renewed television deal, and its' first weekly television show, Dynamite. In an attempt to imitate other wrestling companies, EPW would begin holding monthly pay-per-views. Shortly afterwards, in 2003, Nathan Drake made his return to the company, and became, once again, its' main owner. The new formula, instead, was changed in 2004, when budget cuts made the company abandon the idea and, instead, began holding five pay-per-views each year. Copyright Reclaim, Downfall, and Final Years (2006 - 2012) In 2006, EPW was hit by a copyright reclaim from the lawyers of WWE: one of the company's tag teams, named Wise World Excels, shared initials with the Stamford-based companies. While Drake contested the claim and went to trial with WWE, the judge ruled in the latter's favour, and forced EPW to pay back to WWE not only all the gains made from the sale of Wise World Excels' merchandise, but compensation, alongside a hefty fine. The sudden financial loss caused EPW to hold its' last weekly Dynamite in 2007, as well as the television deal. In the meantime, numerous talents begun heading to otheer companies, such as UWE. With Ash Ketchum and Danny Phantom as the only top talents remaining, EPW found ever-growing issues in selling out venues. Drake's personal problems, in 2009, were another financial blow to the company. On the verge of bankruptcy, Eastern Pro Wrestling was put up for sale in February of 2010. For an year, EPW would remain non-operational, still up for sale, but with no one showing interest. Eventually, former EPW booker DXP bought the company from Drill Drake. Selling DVDs and merchandise to rebuilt its' funds, DXP managed to hold two events in late 2012, and early 2013, respectively named Return and Spring Showdown. A few weeks later, DXP officially announced EPW's folding, with NWA buying what remained of it for a record low amount and rebranding it as NWA-NCW. Championships EPW Alumni *Drill Drake *Ryan Drake *Mitchell Chamberlin *Ash Ketchum *Daniel Fenton *Blake Tare *Ashton Miles *Mike Zenith *Streak *Crash Bandicoot *Cormil Tare *Michelle Drake *Grace Tare Category:Fictional Wrestling Companies